San Pablo police search for man suspected of gunning down ex's boyfriend

SAN PABLO -- A 24-year-old man accused of fatally shooting his ex's new boyfriend as the couple drove down the street last month is being sought by police.

Donte Marquee Smith is wanted in the Dec. 21 slaying of 30-year-old Dejuan McDonald, of Pinole, whom he reportedly ambushed as he rode in the car with 24-year-old Schylon Stewart, Sgt. Scott Cook said.

According to Stewart, Smith stuck a gun out the window as they passed him while driving in the 1700 block of Rumrill Boulevard.

"I yelled, 'Duck!'" said Stewart, who was sitting in the passenger seat. "I thought, 'Why isn't he ducking? Maybe this isn't real?'"

McDonald was struck by a barrage of bullets that flew through the window, in front of Stewart, who was uninjured by the gunfire. He was taken to a hospital, where he died of his injuries.

Stewart, Smith's ex-girlfriend and the mother of his 3-year-old daughter, said he had been making threats against her, which included phone calls threatening Stewart's life, cutting her brake lines multiple times, following her in his car and verbally threatening her outside their daughter's school, Stewart said.

On Dec. 20, Stewart attended a court hearing in regards to her restraining order, which expired that day. Stewart reported to police that afternoon that Smith had made gunshot noises at her as she left the Martinez courthouse, and outside of the building found the brake lines cut on her car.

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Stewart said a judge denied her request to renew her restraining order that day, citing her failure to attend required mediation. San Pablo police declined to comment on the status of Stewart's restraining order.

The next day, McDonald was riddled with bullets inside his vehicle as Stewart looked on.

Investigators have exhausted all leads on Smith's whereabouts and are asking for the public's help finding him, Cook said. Smith is a black male, 5 feet 11 inches tall, about 180 pounds, with brown eyes and black dreadlocks. He was last seen driving a black 1996 Nissan Sentra with tinted rear windows. His California license plate is 6EKW879.

Anyone with information about Smith's whereabouts may call the San Pablo Police Investigations Division at 510-215-3150.